Why is World Championships a big deal this year? (or any year for that matter?) Why do the girls train so hard, coaches sweat so much, and National Team Coordinators and Selection Committees scrutinize so closely? This year, the World Championships is the qualifying meet to the Olympics of 2012. (You see, not everyone gets to go to the Olympics and compete.) But – EVERY year, the Elite competitors of the world ‘get together’ and participate in a little meet. World Championships is the Olympics of gymnastics – every year.
Last year at World Championships – a healthy US team, and a healthy Russian team ‘duked’ it out to see who would be on the podium in the Gold Medal position. The rise of the Russian team was no surprise to the avid gymnastics fan – as they knew Aliya Mustafina would be a determined, challenging and beautiful competitor, along with the balance of her team. The Chinese team, Gold Medalists at the 2008 Olympics, were expected to be competitive and the team to beat on bars – qualifying 1 and 2 in the preliminary rounds of competition. The United States team came to compete as well, with the return of Alicia Sacramone as a vault knock-out punch, Rebecca Bross all-arounder and Mattie Larson, floor beauty. Unbeknownst to the average fourth year gymnastics fan – this competition was as exciting, as competitive, and as surprising as any Olympic competition.
Not surprising to the young men and women who train Elite gymnastics, nor the coaches and Federations they compete for – the World Championships EVERY year is this exciting. The format for competitive teams changes from year to year, but the level of competition, year in and year out, is still the BEST the world of Gymnastics has to offer. Mustafina – injured in a competition in Europe after her Gold Medal World performance – will not be competing at this year’s World competition. However, in 2010, Aliya Mustafina was the best All-Around gymnast in the World – her grace and artistry missed by the “4th year” gymnastics fan.
So, why the recap of last year’s Worlds – why the questions and lesson? Because, last week, seventeen American athletes completed their final day of World Selection Camp number one, in Huntsville, Texas. The ‘girls’ went back to their homes for a week, and will be invited to return for World Selection Camp number two. In a few weeks, six of these talented young women will travel to Japan for the 43rd World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. They will represent their families, their clubs, their coaches and our country (you and me) as they compete and attempt to qualify to the Olympic Games of 2012. I encourage you to get involved, get to know these athletes through the web, through USA Gymnastics and through the media. Be more than a “4th year” gymnastics fan.
Last year at World Championships – a healthy US team, and a healthy Russian team ‘duked’ it out to see who would be on the podium in the Gold Medal position. The rise of the Russian team was no surprise to the avid gymnastics fan – as they knew Aliya Mustafina would be a determined, challenging and beautiful competitor, along with the balance of her team. The Chinese team, Gold Medalists at the 2008 Olympics, were expected to be competitive and the team to beat on bars – qualifying 1 and 2 in the preliminary rounds of competition. The United States team came to compete as well, with the return of Alicia Sacramone as a vault knock-out punch, Rebecca Bross all-arounder and Mattie Larson, floor beauty. Unbeknownst to the average fourth year gymnastics fan – this competition was as exciting, as competitive, and as surprising as any Olympic competition.
Not surprising to the young men and women who train Elite gymnastics, nor the coaches and Federations they compete for – the World Championships EVERY year is this exciting. The format for competitive teams changes from year to year, but the level of competition, year in and year out, is still the BEST the world of Gymnastics has to offer. Mustafina – injured in a competition in Europe after her Gold Medal World performance – will not be competing at this year’s World competition. However, in 2010, Aliya Mustafina was the best All-Around gymnast in the World – her grace and artistry missed by the “4th year” gymnastics fan.
So, why the recap of last year’s Worlds – why the questions and lesson? Because, last week, seventeen American athletes completed their final day of World Selection Camp number one, in Huntsville, Texas. The ‘girls’ went back to their homes for a week, and will be invited to return for World Selection Camp number two. In a few weeks, six of these talented young women will travel to Japan for the 43rd World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. They will represent their families, their clubs, their coaches and our country (you and me) as they compete and attempt to qualify to the Olympic Games of 2012. I encourage you to get involved, get to know these athletes through the web, through USA Gymnastics and through the media. Be more than a “4th year” gymnastics fan.
